Nathan Smith
(Picture: Metropolitan Police)A white van driver who stabbed to death a Deliveroo moped rider in a road rage attack has been jailed for life.
Nathan Smith, 28, emerged from his van with a knife when Takieddine Boudhane complained about the standard of his driving in a minor road altercation in Finsbury Park.
Mr Boudhane, 30, known to friends and family as Taki, tried to defend himself with his crash helmet as Smith ran at him with the knife, inflicting a fatal wound to the chest.
Smith, from Archway, fled the UK after the murder on January 3, 2020, and remained in hiding for more than a year.
He was eventually captured last June in Portugal after being placed on Europol’s Most Wanted list.
Smith was tried and convicted of murder and jailed today at the Old Bailey for life with a minimum term of 21 years.
“It is heartbreaking to see and hear the pain that this senseless murder has caused those who loved Taki”, said Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who led the murder hunt.
“They have shown great strength in coming to court every day during what has undoubtedly been the most painful time of their lives.
“Smith is clearly an extremely dangerous individual and we are pleased he is now off our streets, unable to cause further harm.”
Taki’s mother, Sadie Boudhane, said in an emotional statement that their family has been robbed of its “missing piece”.
“Whilst our son was still lying in the street, this man had already started planning his escape from the country”, she said.
“He would not accept responsibility for taking Taki’s life, and because of this our family had to endure another 17 months of questioning. Why was he taken from us? Who would do such a terrible thing?
“Both mine and my husband’s health suffered as a result of the stress of losing our son, and the protracted police investigation. My husband then passed away before he could see justice passed on our son’s murderer.
“This man continued to torment my family by refusing to accept responsibility for his actions. He made us endure a crown court trial where my son watched his brother’s murder frame by frame day after day as the CCTV was played and analysed.
“Even then he claimed he felt like he was the victim and showed no remorse towards my family. Not once did he say he was sorry for what he had done, only that he suffered PTSD whilst on the run: On the run because of his own actions, on the run for murdering my child.”
CCTV captured the attack, after Taki, from Enfield, had been angered by a manoeuvre Smith had pulled in his van.
Prosecutor Julian Evans QC said Smith went “on the attack” and Taki used his crash helmet to ward him off: “As Smith ran towards him, Takieddine swung his crash helmet towards Smith. This action, again say the prosecution, was defensive.
“As Smith stepped on to the pavement, he ducked below the swinging crash helmet, and swung his knife twice, in quick succession, towards Takieddine’s upper body.
“It is the prosecution case that one of those two rapid blows with the knife, each delivered with force, entered Takieddine’s chest.”
Smith claimed he acted in self-defence, producing the knife in a bid to “scare off” the Deliveroo driver. But the jury rejected his story when finding him guilty of murder.
He must serve at least 21 years in prison before being considered for release.
